Comments on: Age Discrimination is the New Reality in Job Market Says Guest Expert Dave Opton

By: What Would Dad Say » Chronic Illness Job Discrimination Pains Me

What Would Dad Say » Chronic Illness Job Discrimination Pains Me — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 16:49:47 +0000

[...] the article on this blog, Age Discrimination is the New Reality in Job Market, I couldn’t help but smile. Actually, it was more like a grimace. Living with chronic illness [...]

By: JOBSEARCH: Age Discrimination? No, really! « Reinke Faces Life

JOBSEARCH: Age Discrimination? No, really! « Reinke Faces Life — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 10:40:11 +0000

[...] JOBSEARCH: Age Discrimination? No, really! http://blogs.jobdig.com/wwds/2009/03/11/age-discrimination-is-the-new-reality-in-job-market-says-gue…   [...]

By: Bill Vick

Bill Vick — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 19:42:16 +0000

As always Dave hits the nail on the head in a way few could achieve. Age bias is a fact of life and many times it’s the elephant in the room. A young manager often feels intimidated when interviewing somebody she perceives as a Father figureand far too often many older job seekers do not capitalize on their experience as well as the wisdom and skills times bring. Its almost like PC censorship where they do not want to rock the boat or ruffle feathers. Sometimes that is just what is needed.

In the changing economy the experienced and proven worker can have a leg up in the hiring process if they would only take it. Like many things you have to believe in yourself before somebody else will.

Attaboy Dave!

By: Conrad

Conrad — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 18:23:14 +0000

GL, good extension of my idea. I agree with you that experience is often valued, but must become more of a priority in troubled times. It’s a hard decision for companies to make, kind of a leap of faith in creating the future by taking advantage of experience with the past.

By: wwds

wwds — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 18:13:42 +0000

Conrad, lastly, but I wanted to jump and add to Dave’s comment.
I think our society DOES value experience, generally, except in politics perhaps. The military, as much as I hated my own experience there mostly due to the seniority rules concept, does a great job of rewarding and sharing leadership experiences based on real world and practical results. When i was younger, and a bit more full of myself, I thought I could do as well in my Colonel’s job as he could. I probably could, with the day to day stuff. But you also must pay up for leadership and experience when troubled times hit, or stress, or a bad economy.

By: wwds

wwds — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 18:09:07 +0000

Gary–
This was good, clear practical advice for the older job seeker. I am curious, have you found the older job seeker is better at job searching? About at proving his value to the hiring manager? Are there some positive things you have seen from the older job seeker that may help everyone?
My bias is that they do a better job of networking, of selling themselves, of demonstrating how they can help RIGHT AWAY, and of even being more likeable.
Is that true or am I smoking something I shouldn’t?

By: wwds

wwds — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 18:06:17 +0000

Mr Rummuser—-yes, you are exactly right. There needs to be a re-benchmarking of expectations on everyone’s part. I know a very successful retired man who is now a check out guy at Home Depot, a big hardware-type store here in USA. He loves that sort of stuff. His biggest issue has been learning how to keep a bit quiet; he has run operations much bigger than a single store, but has found that he has to temper his own desire to share information and ideas. It is too bad, but with age often comes the reality that no one thinks to ask for your opinions. Maybe he should start a blog then?
Good contribution here.

By: Dave Opton

Dave Opton — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 18:05:29 +0000

Josh,

Not sure what others might think, but my opinion is that for sure this sort of thing can work in reverse but at least in my experience, it is certainly not as severe as it is on the other end. Indeed, in many cases, what the Gen Y candidate is feeling might not be discrimination per se but rather not wanting to accept the fact that the hiring organization feels they need someone with a bit more experience under their belt for the position in question.

As I was also trying to say is that there is no shortage of biases to go around. That being said, the challenge any of us face in trying to deal with them is first to recognize that this is a factor (because more often than not people are not going to be so stupid as to voice their bias). Once we know that this is a “concern” as we are trying to sell ourselves, we are going to have to do our best to come up with tactics to overcome the concern. If they fall somewhere between the two extremes there is a chance to change their minds and help them to see that their concerns aren’t warranted.

Dave

By: wwds

wwds — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 18:02:01 +0000

Josh…again jumping in not in lieu of Dave responding but in addition.
You bring up a good point although, to keep it in perspective, I am thinking your issue is like the beauty queen who complains that people ‘Just’ like her because of her looks. Most hiring managers are not that superficial, one always needs to prove himself or herself…and age has little to do with it. The older the person, there may well be an exterior barrier to leap over but it is a relatively short one when compared to the answer to the key question: How can this person help me right now, right here, today.

By: wwds

wwds — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:58:43 +0000

To ReinKefl:
I pretty much agree with your list and would like to add one more. I know that ’sales’ is not the be all and end all of jobs, but…
At least in a sales job, assuming you have learned real skills from a proven sales leader and not just some guy who read SPIN SELLING last night, you will have a lifetime job, even if it is commission only.
Other than that, your advice is spot on. These days, it takes little effort to create an internet biz, it might not bring in the big bucks, but it is better than watching Oprah re runs.
Sorry to have jumped in on Dave’s post…